4 Chiefs land on PFF list of 50 best players entering 2019

It’s hard to imagine that just two seasons ago the Chiefs only had a single player on the Pro Football Focus top 50 list. Heading into the 2019 season, the Chiefs have tied for the second-most players to appear on the list. It just goes to show the growth of these players in such a short amount of time.

RT Mitchell Schwartz – No. 48

Schwartz turned in career highs in overall grade (83.6) and pass-block grade (85.6) this past season. He also finished the year ranked tied for fifth in pass-blocking efficiency (97.9) and pressure percentage allowed (3.6%). The epitome of consistency, Schwartz has played 1,000 or more offensive snaps in every year of his seven-year NFL career and has yet to earn an overall grade below 72.6 or a pass-blocking grade below 73.8.

Schwartz is rapidly approaching 8,000 consecutive snaps in his career. He’s been a golden goose as a pass blocker since joining the Chiefs as a free agent in 2016, consistently locking up the elite pass rushers in the AFC West.

TE Travis Kelce – No. 28

Among the 63 NFL tight ends with at least 900 offensive snaps played in the last three seasons, Kelce ranks first in overall grade (91.1) and receiving grade (91.1). He also leads all tight ends in receptions of 15-plus yards (104), yards after the catch (1,774) and first-down receptions (189).

Kelce’s ability to force missed tackles and gain yards after the catch is truly what makes him special. His three-year forced missed tackles total (38) leads all tight ends, and his staggering 6.1 yards after the catch per reception average since 2016 is absurd considering the fact that he’s hauled in 290 receptions in the three-year span.

Kelce was the player who made the PFF top-50 list in 2017 for the Chiefs. He’s the only tight end to make this list in 2019. He’s also been a beacon of consistency throughout his career. It’s an absolute joy to see him continue to be at the top of his game with Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback.

DT Chris Jones – No. 20

Jones’ three-year overall grade (90.8) and pass-rush grade (91.1) rank sixth and tied for third, respectively, among the 73 at his position with 1,200 or more defensive snaps played since 2016. He also ranks fourth among qualifiers in three-year pass-rush win percentage (15.7%) behind Aaron Donald, Fletcher Cox and Geno Atkins.

Jones is getting some newfound praise after he led the Chiefs in sacks in 2019. PFF’s grades have been pretty consistent in recognizing Jones as a top pass rusher for the past several seasons. Now that his numbers are in step with the top players at the position, he’s getting some new exposure.

QB Patrick Mahomes – No. 6

Mahomes’ 46 big-time throws were three more than anyone else in the NFL. He broke PFF’s single-season deep passing yardage record with 1,514 yards on passes of 20 or more yards downfield, and that’s with three dropped deep balls on the year. In fact, Mahomes had 35 dropped passes from his receivers this season, the third-most of any quarterback in the NFL.

If you didn’t think that Mahomes was going to make this list, I can’t help you. He was the best player in the NFL last season, and PFF’s analytics recognize that. He might not be the top player on this list, but entering just his second season as a starter it’s probably the safe bet to be a little conservative with his ranking.

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